Why Liberals Should Stop Waiting
What these examples demonstrate is that the power for real and lasting change, especially when it comes to federalism, lies in civil society.
At the risk of stating the obvious to some or sounding like a madman to others, it is patently clear to any realistic liberal in South Africa that true freedom can never be attained through the ballot box – at least not for the foreseeable future.
Liberals, at least authentic ones, remain a political minority in terms of electoral influence. Furthermore, the past year and two months under the uneasy marriage between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) should serve as a reminder that even parties that we view more favourably for their policy positions (though we should never fully trust them) are capable of deep disappointment when principled action matters most.
On this point, Martin van Staden, the Head of Policy at the Free Market Foundation, correctly noted in November 2024 that the DA and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) – two federalist organisations within the so-called Government of National Unity (GNU) – have failed, and will likely continue to fail, to demonstrate a genuine commitment to federalism as both a principle and a model of governance. Those who are curious, or perhaps empathetic, can explore the defences that these organisations have offered. However, I must add that van Staden has methodically dismantled them with precision and clarity in his other writings.
For me, the failure of the DA and the IFP to walk their federalist talk within the GNU is yet another painful but essential reminder that no political party or politician should be entrusted with carrying the torch of liberalism. Here, as tempting as it may be to invoke a figure like Argentine President Javier Milei or other great liberal voices in history, it must be remembered that such individuals are the exception and not the rule.
Naturally, the question that arises is a familiar one. It was first posed by the heir of the most destructive political ideology in history: What is to be done?
I won't arrogantly claim to have all the answers, but I do know that there are communities in this country who understand where I’m coming from and have already begun the hard work of building their own oases of order.
A good example of this is Orania in the Northern Cape, which is a private, self-governing community that is quietly constructing its own order amidst political hostility and within the confines of a deeply flawed democracy.
I also know that there are civil organisations like Solidarity, and a think tank like Lex Libertas, that are currently in dialogue with the US government about applying significant diplomatic pressure on the South African government to, among other important things, shift towards a federal and decentralised system. The outcomes of this pressure remain to be seen, and I won’t overstate them, but all reliable signals point to a Washington that is increasingly resolute in its demand for real reform.
What these examples demonstrate is that the power for real and lasting change, especially when it comes to federalism, lies in civil society. I’m not saying that politics doesn't matter at all, or that legislative reforms at the top don't have a role. However, civil society action is essential, and it can gradually begin to move us towards the future we want.
The deeper lesson, then, is that liberals must also roll up their sleeves. We need to organise ourselves and start building our own oases of order that are beyond the grip of Pretoria. We also need to join forces with the organisations that are already applying pressure on the South African government to reform the political system and transition to a federal dispensation.
Will it be easy? No.
Do I think ordinary citizens can do it all alone, and bring about federalism by themselves? No.
Am I dismissing politics, or calling for civil disobedience, or saying we should give up on it entirely? Absolutely not.
What I am saying is that we must start somewhere. And we must wait no longer.
Ayanda Sakhile Zulu holds a BSocSci in Political Studies from the University of Pretoria and is an intern at the Free Market Foundation.
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